About Ashley
M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Antioch University
2021
B.A. in Psychology from
Seattle University
2016
Professional Licensure Wa State DOH MG 60260407
Gottman Level 2 Trained Clinician
Specialties
Gottman Couples Therapy
Emotion Focused Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Family Systems Therapy
EMDR Techniques
Play Therapy Techniques
Art Therapy Techniques
My Story
Hello! My name is Ashley Haynes-Gibson, I have been a therapist for 3 years, and I am excited that
you’re here. I am currently doing a PhD in Couples and Family Therapy through Antioch University,
New England, and I absolutely love being a therapist. I am deeply passionate about my work, and my
clients have described me as caring, empathic, and helpful. I specialize in working with couples, families,
and individuals from a relational, systemic, and emotion-focused perspective. For me, the therapeutic
relationship is the most important part of our work, so I am committed to ensuring that you feel
comfortable, seen, and validated.
Research has shown that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is the
number one factor in how successful therapy is, so I will be checking in with you frequently and
collaborating with you on how therapy is going to ensure that I am meeting your needs. I always welcome feedback and am open to any questions or concerns you have regarding the therapeutic process.
Seeking counseling is a vulnerable process, so the fact that you are here, in this moment, means that you
are seeking change, and that’s huge! My goal is to offer you a warm, safe, and nonjudgmental space in
which you and I can work together to discover the tools that will enable you to achieve that change, and
to build authentic and joyful connections in the process. I believe that we all have the capacity for healing and personal empowerment, and I also believe that your strengths and areas for growth are related. By taking an honest look at who you are, you reduce shame, build self-acceptance, and put all your
complexity to work for you. Whether we are working on couples therapy, family therapy, or individual
therapy, we are going to examine the patterns in your life that are keeping you stuck. We are going to ask the deep questions around why those patterns are there, where they came from, how they have impacted you, and what you want to do differently moving forward. I can’t promise you that it will always be easy, but I CAN promise you that I will walk with you every step of the way.
I have experience in working with clients on ADHD/neurodivergence, anxiety, depression, PTSD,
attachment, OCD, grief and loss, self-esteem, identity development, racial imposter syndrome, and family
systems. Historically my work with couples has focused on communication, life transitions, parenting
support and psychoeducation, polyamory and ethical non-monogamy, infidelity, and conscious
uncoupling. I have a soft spot for working with foster youth and foster families due to my own
experiences in the foster care system, and I have also worked with foster youth through DCYF and The
Institute for Family Development.
My therapeutic approach is human centered, strengths-based, collaborative, and research-based. As an eclectic clinician, I utilize a variety of approaches to suit my client’s needs and oscillate between these modalities as appropriate: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) EMDR, Gottman Couples Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) Play Therapy, Art Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy.
I think it is also important to note that while I have a certain level of expertise as your therapist, I believe
that YOU are the expert on you. As a white, cis-gendered female, I am aware that my privilege and social location have an impact on my conscious and unconscious biases and assumptions. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to me that I continue working on my multicultural competency. For me, this looks like incorporating critical race theory and critical decolonization within my clinical work, facilitating deeper awareness of, and conversations around, the impact of multisystemic racism historically and presently on my clients of color, and advocating for systemic change by drawing attention to systems of power, privilege and oppression.
In my free time, I enjoy drawing, writing poetry, reading, singing, swing dancing, and going antique
shopping. I have two kitties (Dorian Greyson and Charlotte) that you will see if we meet virtually, and I
am new to being a plant mom. I was originally born in Alaska but I have lived in Washington for almost
my whole life, and I have travelled to Germany, France, and Italy. (I can conversationally speak a little German, and even less Italian). I look forward to meeting you, and thank you for taking the time to read about me!